Training Plan
Try to do a couple of longer rides per week. Do additional shorter rides during the week to reach the following suggested weekly mileage goals; you might think these weekly mileage goals look high, but you’ll be surprised how quickly those miles add up! Also, remember that these are general guidelines. If you can’t ride these distances, don’t get discouraged! Ride what you can and cross train. Try to do at least one ride per week of the following distances:
|
|
Weekly Mileage Goals |
One Ride Goal |
|
February |
25-50 miles/week |
Up to 10 miles |
|
March |
50-75 miles/week |
10-25 miles |
|
April |
75-100 miles/week |
25-40 miles |
|
May |
100-150 miles/week |
40-55 miles |
|
June |
150-175 miles/week |
55-70 miles |
|
July |
175+ miles/week |
70-80+ miles |
There are different focuses for your training, ranging from fitness and endurance to hill climbing and building strength. Here is a training progression for the Ride with a monthly emphasis on a different facet of cycling:
|
Month |
Emphasis or Focus |
|
February |
Bike paths (if cleared) or city streets; bundle up and be prepared for wind; start building endurance with very short rides of 5-10 miles as weather permits. |
|
March |
Bike paths, gentle hills and roads with easy rollers (hills in a row); continue building your base upon which all the rest of your training will depend. Ride whenever and wherever the weather permits. Ride one day each weekend if possible. |
|
April |
Road rides of 12-18 miles and a little longer on the weekends; start to look for hills to use for strength training. The hills south and east of Madison are gentler and will help you build strength in your legs without tiring you out. On the east side, rides to Stoughton or Cambridge are good challenges. On the west side, ride the Hwy 12 bike path or one of the rides to Ashton Corners from Middleton. |
|
May |
Warmer weather will make riding more enjoyable, so head to the hills south of Madison (hills around Stoughton, Oregon, Paoli or Montrose) to work on building strength and hill climbing techniques. Even though the hills may not be your favorite ride, they are your friends when it comes to building strength and learning to use your gears. Don’t skip the windy days. Look at windy days as special opportunities to build strength and improve your endurance. |
|
June |
Change the focus of your hill climbing to the bigger hills, west and south of Madison. Although they may seem daunting at first, riding hills is what makes you stronger and ready to do the longer rides during July. Ride steeper hills to experiment with different climbing techniques and learn which approach works best for you. Rides to Cross Plains, Riley, Klevenville, or Montrose will help you get used to the steeper hills. June also brings the longest days of the year, so you can ride farther on week night rides. |
|
July |
This month the focus changes to longer distances and more hills to build additional strength, so you need to ride thirty miles during the evening rides and do much longer rides on the weekends including the supported rides to Lake Mills and Devil’s Lake. These longer rides will help your body adapt to different fuel sources and prepare you for the century day. |
If you join the ride in May or June, condense the training schedule to meet your needs. Ask your mentor for additional advice and about any other questions regarding training.
The week before the ride, you should taper off your training and rest up for the big event. After your months of training, a rest period will allow your muscles to prepare for the ride. Also, you deserve a break! Take your bike in for a much needed tune-up.
